A warning to anyone who owns dogs in South Africa
Homeowners with dogs are being warned of a spike in poisoning incidents by criminals looking to break into properties.
Originally reported by Safer City and community groups on social media platforms, more than 10 dogs died along one street in one night in De Wetshof last month after they were poisoned.
The small suburb is situated between Observatory and Cyrildene, Johannesburg, and residents believe the poisonings may be linked to criminals targeting homes after first disabling guard dogs.
Another community member noted that poisoning of animals started in February in Regent, Erna and Observatory Avenue, at least 9 dogs lost their lives, and one of the houses was targeted and robbed.
This incident follows several others in recent months. The SPCA issued a notice at the end of last year that a mass poisoning incident occurred in Strand, Cape Town.
All the homes affected were neighbouring properties in Thukumbela Street. It was reported that raw meat, rolled into balls and laced with an unidentified substance, was thrown into the yards.
Additionally, in August, 40 dogs were poisoned in just one night in the Florida and Roodepoort area in Johannesburg.
This followed a similar incident where two dogs where found poisoned in Panbult Street in Faerie Glen, a suburb of Pretoria.
Although the types of poisons where not identified in these recent cases, authorities noted that most cases of dog poisoning involve a product with the street name “ Two Step”.
Aldicarb is an active ingredient in a poison that affects the nervous system if ingested, causing all muscles, including those that control breathing, heartbeat, and intestines, to fail.
Two Step is normally a black/dark grey granular substance resembling poppy seeds or gunpowder, placed in meat or bread and thrown over your premises.
Symptoms of Two Step poisoning can show within five minutes and include some or more of the following: weakness/paralysis, nausea/vomiting, salivation, epilepsy, urination, muscle tremors, and pupil constriction.
Tips to protect your dogs
Rodenticides are also sometimes used, either alone or in combination with other poisons. Rat poison is available in several pelleted and cake forms and is sold under different brand names.
The SPCA has provided some tips to prevent your dogs from being poisoned. Owners are urged to do the following:
- Keep dogs in the back yard during the day
- Keep dogs indoors during the night
- Check the entire yard for possible poison before letting them out to roam in the yard
- Make sure there is no unknown bread or meat in the yard, because poison is normally placed there
- If you do find something which seems suspicious, do not pick it up with your bare hands
- If you suspect that your pet has been poisoned, immediately rush it to a veterinarian
The warning comes as the latest crime statistics from the South African Police Service (SAPS) show that home-related crimes remain a major concern.
According to the SAPS’s latest data, the country recorded 42,969 cases of home burglaries between October and December 2025.
This works out to roughly 477 incidents a day. Meanwhile, the SAPS recorded 6,505 house robberies over the same period—or 72 every day.
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